Darkness Penetrated with Salvation's Light
The hand drawn ink blots from Rorschach often fall short of penetrating darkness with salvation's light. This a good thing. Trust me, the image above is not part of the Rorschach test. Hermann Rorschach was born November 8, 1884, in Zurich, Switzerland. In 1921 he developed the famous test named for his work, comprised of 10 inkblot images shown to patients. The patient would describe their thoughts in reaction to the images. After years of testing hospital patients with the inkblots, Rorschach compiled his findings in a book. The title is Psychodiagnostik. The book claims the test is an effective and successful tool in psychoanalysis. Champions of his work say it can reveal hidden mental issues in patients otherwise difficult to diagnose. Critics dismiss the work entirely, claiming the work is out of date with current mental health therapy methodologies.
Not a Rorschach Test
The graphic above cannot test a person's spiritual nature any more than Rorschach can accurately diagnose a mental deficiency. However, when I first saw this image, there were people who tried to make it so. I first saw the image as a photographic negative in the early 1970's.Introduced to me as a "test," the person said it would determine whether I was truly a follower of Jesus. I found their attitude absurd. People have stared at this image for hours and still not "seen" what is there. I also hear people after looking just one time and say... "oh, I see it!" Those who eventually "see" what at first seems hidden, often describe the moment of discovery not unlike their experience in salvation. Crossing over the line of faith, is simply stepping into the Light of God's salvation. Besides, seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing. Paul says we walk by faith, not by sight.
Nathanael in Darkness
When Jesus found Philip, He said to Philip, "Follow Me." Shortly after that conversation, Philip found his brother Nathanael. He said, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael, wasn't buying and replied, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip simply said, "Come and See." John 1:43-46 NLT
Related Post: Ignoring Confusion That Comes With Following Jesus
In the course of human life lessons are learned, discoveries made, and skills acquired. This knowledge doesn't need to be re-learned. These experiences are honed, in order to utilize them better in the future. The old saying states, "It's just like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget." This truth is also correct for those who have "seen" the image above. Once you see it, you can't ever "not see it" again. It's as if the image has shifted from a simple black and white graphic, into a mind-bending revelation of the truth hidden by a Rorschach-like picture.
Darkness Penetrated
It is also a symbol, or a metaphor, for what happens when a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, and Savior. I'm of the belief that my salvation is entirely the work of God. Not only did I not deserve it, but I could have never earned it or bought it for myself. In this way, since it is God's gift to me, I'm secure in this knowledge. God's promise is to securely save me (even from my self-destructive life patterns). According to Him, once we find ourselves in Him, we are always, and for all eternity, saved.
I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. - John 10:28-29
The resulting benefit of salvation for me is the Holy Spirit. Sent to me in Jesus' own name, The Holy Spirit opens my mind to the understanding of the things God wants me to know and understand. I've had the proverbial "light-bulb" coming on spiritually. This experience separates and penetrates the darkness surrounding my thoughts and actions before I met Jesus. Looking out through the spiritual eyes of the Holy Spirit now, everything looks different, because it is different. By trusting Jesus to redeem me, He has also delivered me from darkness.
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:13-14